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Birth Customs

I have always been fascinated with other cultures esp when it come to birth and babies. I love to find out different ways babies are brought into this world and celebrated. I think its pretty interesting. Like in Ghana they bury the placenta and in Indonesia the mother is massaged daily for the first 90 days. In some cultures the mother must jump over the baby a certain amount of times and then relatives scream at the baby and shake it on a tray. Still other cultures seclude the mother and baby for 30 or 40 days and then the baby comes out and is introduced to the family. Another culture immediately puts a piece of jewelry on the baby that has a red stone in it to ward off evil spirits.

Does your family have any birth customs or traditions? Did you follow those customs and traditions? What do you think of them?

Wash some spoons then wipe your baby's face, dry it with the inside side of your shirt. Should prevent on baby being fussy after meeting alot of people. My mom says some people have bad eyes..kinda like evil spirits., im half russian.

Thanks! Did you cross anything involving a nameing ceremony or send me the write direction?

Quoting lostosbourne:

Yes, they treat the placenta as if it were the dead twin of the baby. They swaddle it in a blanket and give it full burial rights and usually bury it under a tree (they feel the tree is the symbol of life) altho some parts place it in an uncultivated field and cover it with grains and grass. Still others bury it int he dirt floor of the family's house.

Quoting Bonneata:

Do you know anymore about the irth traditions of Ghana like why they bury the placenta? Just curious I want to learn all I can about my heritage.

Thanks! Did you cross anything involving a nameing ceremony or send me the write direction?

Quoting lostosbourne:

Yes, they treat the placenta as if it were the dead twin of the baby. They swaddle it in a blanket and give it full burial rights and usually bury it under a tree (they feel the tree is the symbol of life) altho some parts place it in an uncultivated field and cover it with grains and grass. Still others bury it int he dirt floor of the family's house.

Quoting Bonneata:

Do you know anymore about the irth traditions of Ghana like why they bury the placenta? Just curious I want to learn all I can about my heritage.

My husband's culture has some different customs. Most are really strange and some are more about why things happen, like if the baby has a hard time coming out, it means the mother is being punished for extramarital affairs. There's also things like forcing oneself to puke to help dialate, and sticking a finger in the mom's mouth helps the placenta come out. Needless to say, my husband and I do not practice any and basically don't follow any customs from his country in general.

A Scots tradition in which a new born baby is given a silver coin to bring good luck. However, if the little mite grasps the coin with an iron fist, that would suggest he or she would grow up to be a miser, if the coin is dropped quickly, you’ve got a shopaholic on your hands.

A version of a midwife from a time before midwives, in Scotland. The Howdie, or “handy woman” would come around when the baby was due, and enact certain superstitious rituals during labor, to ensure a safe delivery. So, any knots, belts or ties in the mother’s clothing would need to be untied – and all onlookers would be instructed not to sit with crossed legs or arms, and all doors and windows would need to be unlocked (even in cities). This would help the baby find its way into the world. And to be sure the baby’s soul remained free, all mirrors would be covered up, and all bottles left opened. Then a potion made of Rowan berries — to repel fairies — would be given to mother.

And even after the baby arrived, the Howdie would attend to it, to ward off the evil eye. Some would put whiskey in its mouth, some butter, and some salt, depending on location. Then all the women there would eat three spoons of oatmeal (made with water, as is the Scottish way), to fortify the baby and bring it luck.

German women put a lot of importance on the event and experience of giving birth almost more than the outcome. For some women, a c-section might be considered a failure, even if the baby was born healthy.

Also in Germany, being a mother really is a full time job! Women who hold full-time jobs are guaranteed their position back when they decide to return to work. As soon as she tells her employer that she's pregnant she cannot be fired! Even if the economy takes a turn for the worse! Basically being pregnant inGermany can really save your job! Most women stop working six weeks before their due date and are forbidden from working for eight weeks afterwards - all with full pay!

A local custom from Germany: The government offices keep lists of "acceptable names" that parents must choose from when submitting a birth certificate. If a couple really desires an unusual name, they must give a compelling appeal as to why an exception should be made. This policy is to act in the best interest of the child, to prevent ridicule of a child with a name that is too different.

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